I have baked many cheesecakes and I just do like Ginger said above, wrap the pan in foil so the water will not leak in. This gives you a moist, more even heat which helps to prevent cracking. I have never had one crack on me.

I don't use a bain marie when baking a cheese cake...but I do with other custard-ish desserts in a bath.
I would guess it would depend on the cheese cake recipe....mine is the classic NY cheese cake.....just cream cheese eggs sugar and vanilla. But a recipe using a lot of sour cream...or heavy cream, might need a bain marie.
Linda C

Coat the inside of a spring form pan with shortening. Combine crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and butter in and press on sides and bottom of pan; refrigerate. Preheat oven to 500. Beat together cream cheese, 1 3/4 cups sugar and flour with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time beating on low speed until incorporated, scraping bowl between additions. Mix in sour cream and vanilla. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Pan will be full.

Place a pan of water on the rack under the cheese cake, baking the cake in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes at 500Â° then reduce heat to 200Â° and continue to bake without opening oven door for 1 hour. Check cake. It should be brown on top. Continue to bake until slightly wobbly when pan is gently shaken, about another 35 or 40 minutes. Remove from oven and run a knife around top edge of cake to loosen (this will prevent the cake from cracking as it cools). Cool cake completely in spring form pan on a rack at room temperature, about 3 hours. Refrigerate cake covered loosely with wax paper for at least 6 hours. Remove side of pan and bring to room temperature before serving. Will keep for approximately 2 weeks refrigerated.

Combine crust ingredients thoroughly. Grease 9-inch round pan with shortening (I use a spring form pan). Cover sides of pan with 1 cup having it come up 1-inch from the top of pan. Press remaining in bottom. Refrigerate while preparing part 1. Combine part 1 ingredients with electric mixer until smooth (beat 2 to 3 minutes). Spread into pan. Bake at 375Â° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, place on rack; stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Raise oven temperature to 475Â°. About 2 minutes before 15 minutes standing time is up, prepare second part of filling. With a spoon mix part 2 ingredients until well blended. Pour over 1st part, starting from side to center, spread evenly and gently. Bake at 475Â° about 10 minutes. Let stand at room temperature on rack for 5 to 6 hours before releasing from pan. Loosen crumbs on sides of pan allowing them to drop on edge of cake. Remove cake carefully or serve from pan.

Do not cut until the following day. Cover with waxed paper and store in coldest part of refrigerator for 12 hours or longer. Keeps 3 to 4 days. Cake is about 1 1/4-inch high.

Tip: When baking cake, place a pan of hot water under cake on lower rack. This will prevent cake from cracking.

I always use a bai marie....take your spring form pan and cover bottom with aluminum foil 1/2 way up the sides put about 1 inch of water in the pan its helps in the cheesecake staying moist and prevents cracking